SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Control what you can control. Coaches love that cliche, don’t they? The NCAA plans to discuss various topics this spring at the annual AHCA convention in Naples, Fla. Those topics — which include the transfer portal, NIL, and the potential eligibility of CHL players — were also discussed on Friday at the Frozen Four during the annual “State of the Game” press conference. And here’s the thing ... there’s a lot that the NCAA might not be able to control. Subscribe now * * * Let’s start with the potential eligibility for CHL players. It’s not imminent, but it will be a topi ..read more

Merrimack assistant basketball coach Phil Gaetano has left the program and joined the program at Saint Louis as an assistant coach. He’ll work for Josh Schertz, who was just hired as the new head coach this offseason; he was previously at Indiana State. "I have known Phil for a long time, have tried to hire him previously, and I am thrilled to be able to hire him here at SLU," Schertz said. "Phil brings so much to the table – he is incredibly smart, has great energy and is great on the court. He is an elite player-development guy, recruits at a high level, and is a basketball savant fr ..read more

Merrimack received a commitment from Niagara center Jack Richard from the transfer portal. Richard had 10 goals and 11 assists for the Purple Eagles as a freshman this past season. Richard is 6-foot-4, and he’s from Stoney Creek, Ont. According to my records, he’ll be the tallest Merrimack forward since Hampus Gustafsson graduated in 2017. Before Niagara, Richard was the captain of the Burlington Cougars (OJHL) in 2022-23. In 52 games, he scored 53 goals and added 35 assists for 88 points. The Mack Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider ..read more

The transfer window for underclassmen opened last Sunday. Currently, 273 players are in the portal, and 65 have made commitments (a commitment rate of 23.8%). Merrimack has landed four players — Antonio Venuto (Ferris State), Harrison Roy (Lake Superior State), John Jaworski (Sacred Heart), and Nils Wallstrom (AIC). What other needs do the Warriors need to address in the portal? Let’s dive in. Read more ..read more

Photo: CollegeHockeyPlayers.com Merrimack received a commitment from goaltender Ryan Keyes on Sunday. Keyes, 20, is an Alaska native who has been playing for the South Shore Kings in the NCDC this season. In 41 games, he has a 2.06 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. According to Elite Prospects, Keyes was slated to go to SUNY-Oswego next season. He also played for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in the NAHL. LINK: TMR Recruit Chart Read more ..read more

Hunter Wallace Merrimack’s recruits are in the midst of playoffs. This week’s recruit report has updated statistics on all of Merrimack’s recruits, reflecting their composite season (regular season and playoffs combined). Editor’s Note: The projected enrollment years are TMR projections only based on the player’s age. Read more ..read more

Merrimack has landed AIC goalie Nils Wallstrom out of the transfer portal. Wallstrom announced his commitment on Thursday. Wallstrom was a freshman at AIC this past season and led the Yellow Jackets to the Atlantic Hockey championship game. In 33 games, Wallstrom posted a 2.27 GAA and a .920 save percentage.  Wallstrom will be one of the replacements for Hugo Ollas (who signed with the New York Rangers) and Zachary Borgiel (who entered the transfer portal). Max Lundgren is likely the other. Lundgren was one of the top goalies in the USHL during the 2022-23 season. He spent this season ..read more

Three more Merrimack players entered the transfer portal this week: Nikita Borodayenko and Steve Bacovsky earlier this week, and Brady Hunter entered this morning. Borodayenko appeared in 12 games this season and had one assist. Over two seasons at Merrimack, he scored three points (1g-2a) in 20 games.  Hunter appeared in 11 games as a freshman this season and posted a pair of assists. Bacovsky, a sophomore, has backed up Zachary Borgiel and Hugo Ollas for the last two seasons. His entry leaves the Warriors with just one goalie on the roster for next season—Max Lundgren—but I’m told th ..read more

Mike and Ian begin the show wrapping up the season for Merrimack men’s hockey and men’s basketball. To cap it off, Merrimack’s most recent NHL signees — Christian Felton and Hugo Ollas — talk about their new deals ..read more

Merrimack junior forward Matt Copponi and junior defenseman Mike Brown entered the transfer portal on Sunday. Copponi led Merrimack with 32 points (7g-25a) in 30 games this season. Copponi missed the last three regular-season games and Merrimack’s playoff game against Northeastern. Merrimack coach Scott Borek said that he was dealing with an injury.  Copponi appeared in 92 games for the Warriors over three seasons and had 70 points (24 goals, 46 assists).  Brown missed all of this past season with an injury.  Read more ..read more